IllustrationTHE FIRESTONE ATX TIRE ON THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED TIRE BLOWOUT DUE TO TREAD SEPARATION WHICH CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE, UPON INSPECTION THE REMAINING TIRES SHOWED SIGNS OF SEPARATION AS WELL, ALL FOUR TIRES REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. *MJS
1996 Ford Explorer
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Explorer years
Owner complaints for the 1996 Ford Explorer are substantially higher than the model-year median of 609.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Explorer years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 153 of 1,450 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Tires. Review the 570 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 148 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 120 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
195 crash reports37 fire reports179 injury reports
Tires complaints
570 reportsAT 70 MPH REAR TIRE SEPARATED CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL, TEMP ABOUT 102 DEGREES ON THAT DAY ABOUT 2PM, TOTALED
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED TWO TIRE BLOWOUTS DUE TO DEFECTIVE FIRESTONE ATX TIRES PRIOR TO RECALL(00T-005), CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT. *MJS DEALER REFUSED TO HONOR THE NATIONALLY ISSUED RECALL AND REPLACEMENT OF TIRES. *YH P235-75-R15 *DB
THE STEEL BELT COMPLETELY PEELED AWAY FROM THE TIRE, CAUSING A BLOWOUT. A DADE COUNTY D.O.T. REPRESENTATIVE ASSISTED ME AT ROADSIDE. BOTH OF US WERE AMAZED AT THE POOR CONDITION OF THE SHREADED REMAINS OF THE TIRE.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )
4 FIRESTONE TIRES 1 ATX AND 1 AT OF THE ONES RECALLED BLEW. 2 OTHER FIRESTONE TIRES AT NOT RECALLED DID NOT BLOW.( DOT NUMBER: ATX < ATVD TIRE SIZE: 235 75 R15 )
WE TOOK OUR CAR IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND ROTATION AND BALANCING OF TIRES. WE WERE TOLD WE HAD 4 GOOD TIRES. WHEN WE LEFT THE STORE, I FELT BUMPING IN THE TIRES. WE GOT ON THE THRUWAY AND DROVE ABOUT 30 MILES. WHEN WE RETURNED, WE SAW THE RUBBER HAD PEELED OFF ONE OF THE TIRES AND THE CORE WAS SHOWING. MY HUSBAND TOOK THE CA…
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WE TOOK OUR CAR IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND ROTATION AND BALANCING OF TIRES. WE WERE TOLD WE HAD 4 GOOD TIRES. WHEN WE LEFT THE STORE, I FELT BUMPING IN THE TIRES. WE GOT ON THE THRUWAY AND DROVE ABOUT 30 MILES. WHEN WE RETURNED, WE SAW THE RUBBER HAD PEELED OFF ONE OF THE TIRES AND THE CORE WAS SHOWING. MY HUSBAND TOOK THE CAR BACK TO FIRESTONE. THEY DISCLAIMED ANY REPSONSIBILITY FOR THE TIRE PEELING AND HAD NO CLUE WHY IT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED. THEY TRIED TO SELL MY HUSBAND A BRAND NEW TIRE WITH NO PRO-RATING OR ANYTHING. JERRY WAS ANGRY AND TOLD THEM TO PUT THE SPARE ON. IN SUBSEQUENT CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM, THEY REPEATEDLY DENIED THAT THEIR WORK HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT, EVEN THOUGH THEY ADMITTED THE TECH WAS NEW AND HAD LUMPED ALL THE TIRES TOGETHER DURING ROTATION. WE WERE FURIOUS AND VOWED NOT TO RETURN. A FEW DAYS LATER, I MENTIONED IT TO THE DEALER WE BOUGHT THE CAR FROM AND HE GOT US A NEW TIRE IN LIEU OF A $100 SALES COMMISSION FOR BRINGING IN ANOTHER BUYER. TOOK IT TO FIRESTONE, THEY ASKED WHERE WE HAD GOT THE TIRE AND CHARGED US TO MOUNT IT. I CALLED THEM ON THE PHONE AND ASKED FOR AN ADDRESS FOR THE FIRESTONE CO. AND HE THEN REIMBURSED US THE MONEY HE HAD CHARGED TO MOUNT IT. WE'RE EVEN MORE ANGRY NOW BECAUSE THEY ACTED AS THOUGH THEY HAD NEVER HEARD OF SUCH A THING AND, YET, THEY APPARENTLY KNEW ABOUT THIS. WE LIKE TO TRAVEL AND ARE NOW AFRAID TO GO ANYWHERE.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )
TRAVELING ON INTERSTATE AT 70 MPH AND HEARD A KNOCKING NOISE. PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE INTERSTATE. THE LEFT REAR TIRE HAD PEELED COMPLETELY OFF. REPLACED THE TIRE WITH SPARE. WENT TO FIRESTONE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT ALL FOUR TIRES MIGHT SHOULD BE REPLACED SINCE ONE WAS BAD. I REPLACED ALL 4 TIRES WITH THE ATX. SUB…
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TRAVELING ON INTERSTATE AT 70 MPH AND HEARD A KNOCKING NOISE. PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE INTERSTATE. THE LEFT REAR TIRE HAD PEELED COMPLETELY OFF. REPLACED THE TIRE WITH SPARE. WENT TO FIRESTONE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT ALL FOUR TIRES MIGHT SHOULD BE REPLACED SINCE ONE WAS BAD. I REPLACED ALL 4 TIRES WITH THE ATX. SUBMITTED CLAIM TO FIRESTONE FOR DAMAGE TO CAR AND TIRE NOT KNOWING AT THE TIME, THERE WAS A PROBLEM. I THOUGHT IT WAS SHORT OF A MIRACLE THAT FIRESTONE ACTUALLY PAID FOR THE TIRE AND DAMAGE. NOW, I KNOW WHY. MY HUSBAND HAS THE WILDERNESS AT TIRES AND WE ARE PROCEEDING TO GET HIS TIRES CHECKED OUT. THERE IS A WAITING LIST IN SC (BEING THAT WE ARE THE LAST STATE FOR THE RECALL) FOR TIRES TO BE REPLACED. I AM ON A LIST BUT I AM NOT HAPPY THAT I HAVE TO WAIT, KNOWING WHAT IT IS REALLY LIKE AND WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 235/75R15 )
PE00 020; CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING 70MPH ON HIGHWAY SHE DIDN'T HEAR A NOISE AT THAT TIME. BUT LATER ON, SHE HEARD A NOISE IN THE REAR BACK, TIRE TREAD SEPARATED AND TIRE PEELED OFF. CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE, AND SHE RAN INTO A GUARDRAIL, AND IT STARTED ROLLING. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. ALSO, DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DID …
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PE00 020; CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING 70MPH ON HIGHWAY SHE DIDN'T HEAR A NOISE AT THAT TIME. BUT LATER ON, SHE HEARD A NOISE IN THE REAR BACK, TIRE TREAD SEPARATED AND TIRE PEELED OFF. CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE, AND SHE RAN INTO A GUARDRAIL, AND IT STARTED ROLLING. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. ALSO, DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DID DEPLOY. HER DAUGHTER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. *AK
PE00020; ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ON A FORD EXPLORER 1996, SIZE P23575R15. WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH TIRE DELAMINATED, RIGHT REAR TIRE TREAD CAME OFF. CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF VEHECLE. *AK THERE WAS DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE BECAUSE OF THE TREAD SEPARATION. *SLC
PE00020, TIRE TREAD SEPARATION: WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH, THE TREAD ON THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE CAME OFF. TREAD WRAPPED AROUND THE AXLE AND SEIZED THE BRAKES, CAUSING A FIRE. THE TIRE WAS A FIRESTONE, ATX, P235/75R15, ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT. FOUR OTHER PASSENGER'S WERE IN THE EXPLORER. NO ONE WAS INJURED. TIRE AND REPAIRS TO VEH…
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PE00020, TIRE TREAD SEPARATION: WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH, THE TREAD ON THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE CAME OFF. TREAD WRAPPED AROUND THE AXLE AND SEIZED THE BRAKES, CAUSING A FIRE. THE TIRE WAS A FIRESTONE, ATX, P235/75R15, ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT. FOUR OTHER PASSENGER'S WERE IN THE EXPLORER. NO ONE WAS INJURED. TIRE AND REPAIRS TO VEHICLE WERE MADE BY A FORD DEALERSHIP AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. *AK
Official recalls
609V399000 · Vehicle Speed Control
Oct 13, 2009
FORD IS RECALLING MODEL YEARS 1995-2003 WINDSTAR, 2000-2003 EXCURSION DIESEL, 1993-1997 AND 1999-2003 F-250 SD THROUGH F-550 SD DIESEL, 1992-2003 E-150 THROUGH E-550, 1995-2002 EXPLORER, 1997 AND 2002 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER, 1995-1997 AND 2001-2003 RANGER, AND 1994 F53 VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE TEXAS INSTRUMENTS SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH (SCDS). THE SCDS MAY LEAK INTERNALLY AND THEN OVERHEAT, SMOKE, OR BURN.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A VEHICLE FIRE COULD OCCUR WITH OR WITHOUT THE ENGINE RUNNING.
Remedy: FORD WILL NOTIFY OWNERS THAT DEALERS WILL INSTALL A FUSED WIRING HARNESS IN LINE WITH THE SCDS. ON 1999-2003 WINDSTAR VEHICLES WITH A LEAKING SCDS, DEALERS WILL ALSO INSPECT THE ABS CONTROL MODULE CONNECTOR AND REPAIR AS NECESSARY. REPAIRS WILL BE COMPLETED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 27, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-888-222-2751.
00V402000 · Suspension
Nov 28, 2000
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES. UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, A FRONT SWAY BAR LINK CAN FRACTURE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: VEHICLE HANDLING COULD BE AFFECTED, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE BOTH THE LEFT AND RIGHT FRONT SWAY BAR LINKS.
97V137000 · Structure:body:hatchback/liftgate:support Device/strut
Aug 19, 1997
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MULTI-PURPOSE PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE LIFTGATE ASSIST GAS CYLINDER BRACKET ON THE RIGHT HAND BODYSIDE OUTER PANEL WAS INCORRECTLY WELDED.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE GAS CYLINDER BRACKET MAY NOT PROPERLY SUPPORT THE LIFTGATE INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REINFORCE THE BRACKET ATTACHMENT WITH TWO POP RIVETS.
97V074000 · Vehicle Speed Control
Apr 30, 1997
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MULTI-PURPOSE PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 5.0L ENGINES ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF ALASKA, IDAHO, IOWA, MAINE, MICHIGAN (UPPER PENINSULA ONLY), MINNESOTA, MONTANA, NEBRASKA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW YORK, NORTH DAKOTA, SOUTH DAKOTA, VERMONT, WISCONSIN, AND WYOMING. THESE VEHICLES, WHEN OPERATED FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND TEMPERATURES BELOW -20 DEGREES FARENHEIT, DO NOT RETURN TO IDLE DUE TO ICE IN THE THROTTLE BODY.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE CAN BE CONTROLLED BY EITHER APPLYING THE SERVICE BRAKES OR SHIFTING THE TRANSMISSION TO NEUTRAL, INCREASED BRAKE PEDAL EFFORTS OR SOME INCREASE IN STOPPING DISTANCE CAN RESULT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A REVISED PCV SYSTEM WITH WATER HEATED VACUUM SOURCE.
96V161000 · Equipment:other:labels
Aug 29, 1996
THE CERTIFICATION LABELS ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES HAS INCORRECT REAR TIRE INFLATION PRESSURE DESIGNATIONS. THIS DOES NOT COMPLY WITH FMVSS NO. 120, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS FOR MOTOR VEHICLES OTHER THAN PASSENGER CARS."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: INCORRECT INFLATION PRESSURES COULD CAUSE PREMATURE WEAR OF THE REAR TIRES. .
Remedy: OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH CORRECT CERTIFICATION LABELS AND INSTRUCTIONS FOR INSTALLING THESE LABELS. DEALERS CAN INSTALL THIS LABEL IF THE OWNER SO DESIRES.
96V070000 · Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch
Apr 22, 1996
WHEN IN THE SECONDARY LATCHED POSITION, THE DRIVER DOOR LATCHES MAY OPEN WHEN SUBJECTED TO TRANSVERSE LOADS LESS THAN THAT SPECIFIED IN FMVSS NO. 206, "DOOR LOCKS AND DOOR RETENTION COMPONENTS."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE DRIVER'S DOOR, WHEN CLOSED ONLY TO THE SECONDARY LATCHED POSITION, MAY NOT SUSTAIN A 1,000 POUND TRANSVERSE LOAD.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE DRIVER DOOR LATCH.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
3PE00039 · Front Suspension Stabilizer Bar Link
Opened Sep 20, 2000 · Closed Nov 30, 2000
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Suspension
There is no summary currently available
PE99068 · Accelerator Pedal
Opened Nov 1, 1999 · Closed Mar 9, 2000
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train
There is no summary currently available
PE97010 · Electrical Fire In Center Console
Opened Mar 13, 1997 · Closed Sep 4, 1997
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System
THIS INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT CONSOLE FIRES IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES MOST OFTEN OCCURRED WHILE VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE LAMP OUTAGE MODULE (LOM), WHICH IS PART OF THE MESSAGE CENTER, WERE TOWING A TRAILER AND WHICH HAD BEEN MODIFIED BY ADDING AN AFTERMARKET TRAILER WIRING HARNESS INTO THE VEHICLE'S TAILLIGHT CIRCUITS.THE OWNER'S MANUAL STATES NEVER AND MORE THAN OTHER TRAILER LIGHT BULB TO ONE CIRCUIT HOWEVER TRAILERS FREQUENTLY CONTAIN SEVERAL BULBS.THE RESULTING EXCESS CURRENT PASSING THROUGH THE LOM COULD CAUSE IT TO OVERHEAT RESULTING IN A FIRE.PROPER AFTERMARKET INSTALLATION OF TRAILER WIRING REQUIRES THE USE OF A BYPASS MODULE, WHICH OBTAINS POWER FOR THE TRAILER LIGHTS DIRECTLY FROM THE BATTERY RATHER THAN FROM THE VEHICLE'S TAIL LIGHT AND STOP LAMP CIRCUITS, OR THE USE OF THE MANUFACTURER'S WIRING HARNESS.IN A LETTER DATED SEPTEMBER 2, 1997, FORD NOTIFIED ODI THAT IT INTENDS TO TAKE ACTION TO PRECLUDE FURTHER INCIDENTS INCLUDING ISSUING A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN TO ITS DEALERS, NOTIFYING TRAILER RENTAL ASSOCIATIONS AND AGENCIES WHERE KNOWN, AND ADVISING OWNERS BY LETTER OF THE PROPER METHOD FOR CONNECTION OF TRAILER TOW WIRING ON THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.THERE WAS NO DEFECT TREND IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES IDENTIFIED AS A RESULT OF THIS INVESTIGATION, AND FURTHER EXPENDITURE OF AGENCY RESOURCES IS NOT WARRANTED TO CONTINUE THE INVESTIGATION.